Example New Species for Fantasy Craft

[snake]

Targul
A member of an avian species, you live to glide on the winds. From the heights of your Floating Sky Cities, you gaze down on the ground-dwellers below.

Type: Medium Biped Folk with a Reach of 1. Your maximum wounds equal your Constitution score.
•   +?,  - ? (??)
•   Aloof: +2 error range on Impress and Sense Motive checks targeting other species. (- 0.5)
•   Base Speed: 30 ft. (0)
•   Keen Sight: Your visual range increments are equal to your Wis score x50 ft. You also ignore range penalties from the 2nd and 4th range increments while you’re aiming. (2)
•   Natural Attack I:  You have sharp Talons. (1)
•   Winged Flight 40 ft. (2)

I'm stumped at the moment trying to think of suitable Attribute Bonus/Penalties for the Targul above. Could any one suggest any please ?

[snake]

I was wondering...
Snake have you read the original Huygen's Cosmotheoros (1698)? It was one of the inspirations that (much later) got the Victorians and then sword and planet writers of the pulp era thinking. THere are some translations around on the net. It reads pretty odd to our 21st century eyes but you could skim a good english translation for a few ideas. Failing that I already have some notes in a .doc somewhere.
Anyway, just saying

Interesting reading. I see where a lot of our Cosmological and Astronomical thought came from. It may also be the origin of early science fictions ideas of insectoid races and multilegged species on other worlds. Thanks.   

[Wolverine]

I'm stumped at the moment trying to think of suitable Attribute Bonus/Penalties for the Targul above. Could any one suggest any please?

Can you provide a little more (fluffy) detail for the Targul? Sharp Eyed fliers could tend towards bonuses to Dexterity or Wisdom, but you don't necessarily need to have either, or any bonuses or penalties at all. Dwarves don't have any attribute modifiers, all their specialness comes from their other modifiers.

[Catodon]

How about hollow bones as an excuse for lowered Con.

[Morgenstern]

Huh. I was sure I've posted a hollow bones option before - sort of like fatal falls, but for blunt and graple damage.

[Krensky]

So, how much is Ooze worth as a type?

For no particular reason.

 

[Morgenstern]

Try 2 points.

[Mister Andersen]

Huh. I was sure I've posted a hollow bones option before - sort of like fatal falls, but for blunt and graple damage.

It's in Light of Olympus as I recall.

[Sletchman]

Huh. I was sure I've posted a hollow bones option before - sort of like fatal falls, but for blunt and graple damage.

It's in Light of Olympus as I recall.

OotS: Classic Fantasy - the Falcon Nation Elves have it [winged Elves].

[Mister Andersen]

Well, there you are then 

[snake]

Hmmm.

I considered Hollow Bones but not sure if I want to weaken the Targul that much. They have to be reasonably good fighters to defend vs the Iron Lords.

Perhaps if I put down a bit more description for them, it might help:

"The Tragul are a race of Winged Humanoids who inhabit the Skies over Jupiter.

There they dwell in Floating Cities, supported among the clouds by the gravity defying power of the semi-magical Lunth crystals . Whether these cities were constructed by the Targul or by scientists of the vanished First Empire is a matter of debate. The Targul, however, have enough knowledge to maintain the cities in their aerial positions.

Proud and aloof, the Targul regard the tensions between the Iron Lords and the subject peoples as petty squabbling. They are skilled in combat with Talon and sword and have managed to repel any attempts by the Iron Lords to seize their cities.

They live to glide on the wind and consider the sky to be their domain. Predatory by nature, they will raid any Skyship that comes within range."

I guess the models for the Targul are the various Winged races found in S+P fiction eg the Hawkmen of Flash Gordon (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnTHypbLlkE) , The Birdmen of Edgar Rice Burroughs Venus (http://www.sfsite.com/gif/0201/pvlg.jpg) and the Yags of Robert E Howards Almuric (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Alumric.jpg)  

Seeing that Flash Gordon clip always breaks me up. Brian Blessed as Vultan, King of the Hawkmen. 

[snake]

I'm thinking more and more that a +1 DEX, +1 WIS would cover them. As you say, Wolvie, Sharp eyed Fliers, quick and alert as hawks. For the rest, they would have same STR, CON, INT and CHA as a human. 

[Catodon]

Here is the raven rules/short form redrafted for the second printing. I thought I'd given the new version exposure on the forum before trying my hand at adding it to the Wiki.
In regards to the Wiki: With its fluff (not included below) this species is quite long. Should I tack it onto the end of the new species page or create a new page?

Raven
Type: Tiny Beast, 1x1 reach 1, [-2]
Attributes: Str -2, +2 Dexterity. [1]
Base Speed:  20ft [-0.5]
Lean Season: [1]
Winged Flight: You may fly with a Speed of 50 ft. [2.5 this is kinda their main special ability so I wanted them to be faster than drakes]
Banned Actions: You may not use Kick tricks or make Swim checks. You cannot use two handed weapons or tools requiring both hands while standing. [-1, though removed from core FC species I feel this is justified here]
Keen Sight: [2]
Caw: Using their own cawing languages ravens can use volumes equal to a human shout continuously. This is especially useful when combined with Sharp Hearing.

Mimic: They can train their voices out of any hint of avian squawk, some even have pleasant speaking voices. They are able to mimic other sounds using the Bluff skill. Mimic covers other sounds than speech they could bark like a dog or mimic the winch and click of a crossbow being cocked. This ability has a lot of uses. When using mimic volume is limited to that of human talking. [1]
Iron Gut: [1]
No Smell or Taste: Ravens automatically fail checks to detect odd smells or tastes such as those produced by poisons. They can also eat things that taste horrible. [-1]
Sharp Hearing:. [2]
Natural Attack: You gain the Bite I and Claw I natural attacks [1]
Total: 7

[snake]

Raven looks good, Catodon. I'm thinking of adding the ILOJ species to the Wiki at some point so I'll be interested in how you get on. I'd like to offer help but I'm new to the Wiki too.

Anyway, Targul seems to be updated ok now so here's first draft of the last of the Jovian Species:

Veith
You are a Veith, part of a humanoid race who dwell in the lands controlled by the Iron Lords. Your peaceful, ancient civilisation was easily absorbed into the Grey Empire and most of your kind have accepted their fate as slaves.

Some like youself, however, have dreams of freedom and rebellion. These thoughts drive you to travel and seek out other adventurous souls.

Physically, the Veith are agile but fine-boned and Veith warriors prefer light weapons and armor, sacrificing power for mobility. Veith live longer than humans, a Veith is an adult at 25 and some live to be 150.

Their language is quite complex and the Veith study it and other tongues from an early age.

Common Personality Traits: Artistic, Decadent.

Common Physical Traits: Medium build, Blue skin, Red or golden yellow eyes, Black or Blonde hair, Almost non-existent ears.

Example Names : Lithin, Mellorin, Athalli, Nolli.
Splinter Race Feats: White Veith.  
 
Type: Medium Biped Folk with a Reach of 1. Your maximum wounds equal your Constitution score.

•   +2 DEX, -2 STR (1)
•   Agile Defense: You gain a +1 bonus to your defense. (1)
•   Always Ready: You may always act during surprise rounds. (2)
•   Base Speed: 30 ft. (0)
•   Burden of Ages: Any effect that cures or restores your vitality has only ½ the normal effect (rounded up). (-2)
•   Linguist: you gain 2 additional languages. (1)
•   Origin Skill: All Veith have Craft as an Origin skill. (1)

*** EDIT: Updated Description etc for the Veith. ***
   

[Krensky]

Everyone's favorite ooze from Dragonstar:

Ulb
Medium Ooze            [2]
+2 Constitution, -2 Dexterity   [1]
Sterner Stuff            [0.5]
Bleed Immunity         [0.5]
Iron Gut               [1]
Multi-armed            [1]
Tenacious Spirit         [2]
Darkvision I            [1]
Improved Stability         [1]
Aloof                  [-0.5]
Cold Blooded            [-0.5]
Achilles Heel (Cold, Piercing)   [-1]
Reviled               [-1]